Driver Behavior

[Mergingtraffic]

OK, this could be a long one.

Feel free to talk about driver behaviors that get you thinkin!

Why do drivers that are passing someone go slower (takes them forever to pass) and then when they get back into the right lane take off and go 20mph faster than when they were in the passing lane!?!

[vdeane]

My biggest pet peeves:
-people who refuse to get up to speed until after they merge into traffic (or worse, slow down when merging)
-people who slow down on the travel lane before exiting

Basically, Albany commuters don't have a ****ing clue what acceleration/deceleration lanes are.

Also: waiting until the light has been green for five seconds before moving if at the front and until the car in front has cleared the intersection if not; in heavy traffic, this leads to the paradox where you stop for the green and go for the red but nobody runs the light.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

People speeding well over the limit who slam on their brakes upon seeing a cop and go 10 under the limit past the cop.

[corco]

- Cruise control passers that feel a need to pass you at 80.05 MPH when your cruise is set at 80, but are unwilling to push the accelerate button once or twice to get by
- People who don't move immediately at four way stops
- People who get in the left lane to pass a truck a half mile before they get to the actual truck when there's not enough traffic to need to jockey for position
- People who don't pull over when they are delaying three or more cars on mountainous roads
- People who think "derrrr, wide spot in the road" and speed up 15 MPH when they hit a passing lane on a mountainous road, oblivious to the point that it is to be used for passing them.
- People who in traffic tailgate so close that they have to hit their brakes on the freeway to slow down 1-2 MPH, causing a chain reaction of braking behind them.
- People who are impatient as trucks complete passes and whip around them in the right before the truck has had a reasonable chance to safely get back over to the right lane, holding up the line for everybody.
- I'll echo vdeane's comments on acceleration/deceleration

The cop thing is sort of annoying, and I don't do it, but I understand people's paranoia.

[dfwmapper]

People who don't notice the high-beam indicator is on and blind everyone in front of them. Related: assholes who add aftermarket lifts to their trucks but don't adjust the headlight aiming.

[Alex4897]

I find it annoying when people insist on following the speed limit when the average speed of traffic is at least 15-20mph over that, however, at the same time I can't really blame them.

[robbones]

While driving a truck, cars whip in front of you just to take the exit ramp at the last possible second or turn down a side road. I also echo corco comment on trucks

[Pete from Boston]

Here we go again–I don't like what other people do to me.  Doesn't this thread exist already?

[1995hoo]

I could go on for hours, but I'll just list one: People who leave huge gaps when stopped at red lights to the point where other people can't access the turn lane and then refuse to pull up when someone beeps the horn trying to get to the turn lane before the green arrow comes on/goes away. I regularly see people these days leaving a full carlength or more. I assume a lot of it is a desire to play with a mobile phone while stopped.

[pumpkineater2]

People who go the wrong way on one way streets.
I think it's actually pretty funny when I see people do it.

[pumpkineater2]

Also when I see people constantly riding their brakes when going down a long hill, like on I-17 south towards Black Canyon City. Honestly in my experience, all they have to do is set their cruise at 65(which is the limit anyway) and they'll get down the hill just fine.

[Mergingtraffic]

Also when I see people constantly riding their brakes when going down a long hill, like on I-17 south towards Black Canyon City. Honestly in my experience, all they have to do is set their cruise at 65(which is the limit anyway) and they'll get down the hill just fine.

or when people ride their brakes going down a hill on a limited access highway and they can see all the way down and up the next hill.

[wxfree]

The one that most frequently gets me is people who want you to go first turning left in front of them at a stop sign.  It happens to me almost every time I have a left turn signal at a stop sign with someone across from me.

Where did that come from?  It's a complete reversal of the way we're taught, and it makes no sense.  If I'm turning left and go first, you have to wait for me to complete my maneuver before you can start, but if you go first, I can get started forward and then turn after you've cleared the way.  Instead of wasting time figuring out who's going first, just go when it's your turn and we'll both be through the intersection quicker.

I respond to this by repeatedly looking both ways, and not at the other driver waving at me.  Eventually he'll go and then I go.  It's my hope that one or two people might figure out that it's a waste of time to negotiate the order at every stop sign and it's quicker just to follow the rules.

[mtantillo]

I'm sympathetic to the trucks to a point. But when they cut right in front of you, pass slowly, and then get up to about 3 truck lengths in front of the vehicle in front before trying to move back over, I lose my patience quickly and will sometimes pass them on the right.

Just about all of the driver issues seem to be due to other drivers lack of situational awareness. 

[Scott5114]

People who slow down to 6.022 × 10^-23 mph and take 17 years to execute a simple right turn. It is almost like they are trying to call attention to the fact that they're turning.

[Pete from Boston]

I often hang out in the right lane and take my time.  I'm not doing me or my truck any favors trying to race up a hill. But half the time there's someone on my ass with the "can't stand when people do the limit" chip on their shoulder, trying to prove a point.

The purpose of your vehicle is never, ever to prove a point.

[Duke87]

The cop thing is sort of annoying, and I don't do it, but I understand people's paranoia.

I instinctively hit my brakes when I see a cop regardless of how fast I'm going. There have definitely been times where I've hit my brakes despite already being under the speed limit.

[Pete from Boston]

The cop thing is sort of annoying, and I don't do it, but I understand people's paranoia.

I instinctively hit my brakes when I see a cop regardless of how fast I'm going. There have definitely been times where I've hit my brakes despite already being under the speed limit.

They taught us in high school that brake lights are a tacit admission of guilt.  Another reason to drive stick. 

[Duke87]

They taught us in high school that brake lights are a tacit admission of guilt.

Only if the cop sees them. Take your foot off the brake by the time you pass him and presumably he won't.

[Big John]

People who slow down to 6.022 × 10^-23 mph and take 17 years to execute a simple right turn. It is almost like they are trying to call attention to the fact that they're turning.

moles per hour? 

[mvak36]

People who slow down to 6.022 × 10^-23 mph and take 17 years to execute a simple right turn. It is almost like they are trying to call attention to the fact that they're turning.

moles per hour? 

[triplemultiplex]

Humans driving automobiles is always irritating.

[Mr. Matté]

People who go the wrong way on one way streets.
I think it's actually pretty funny when I see people do it.

Until an accident occurs and someone gets hurt.

Then it's either hilarious or you're elected governor.

[freebrickproductions]

People who don't use their turn signals are a big pet peeve of mine. I can understand forgetting to do it once or twice, but if it is a consistent habit, then it gets annoying.

[Pete from Boston]

Other humans driving automobiles is always irritating.

Fixed.